I'm looking for answers to the best approach to dynamically including an "Apply Now"/"Apply For" link/button within node content.
For example. the content node has been custom created and visitors (registered users only) can click the "Apply Now" once viewing any said published node. For example, this maybe a "Join Band" on a music band collaborative site, a "Apply Now" on a Jobsite, a "Date Me" on a dating site, "Tender Now" on a contract site etc.

I've also schematicised in LibreOffice Draw for basic work-flow and using the Panels/Ctools/Rules combination along with Relation to ensure that posted content appears in a Users dashboard (based on their profile2/HomeBox type) whereby application Receivers can manage/reply/on-hold/delete such application notices. Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree in my approach!?

My Main issues is primarily the inclusion on an "Apply Now" link in any said node and the most effective and futureproof so looking for for clarification on best D7 tools/Modules to use for such a back-end integrated task.

The entry here relates further to my question: Re: Relation Module which relates to a previous module I had started to utilise, but have now made redundant due to it's original author's Module depreciation, but in essense looking for an answer a generalistic approach to building such frameworks of this nature using common D7 modules (no custom coding at present), which I'm sure are very common.

I'm actually using Flag already for 'flags' and initially considered it but I'm not too sure it's really what I want integrated into the job node pages and looking for something that really works integrated into a system workflow (yes, I know Flag does). Ideally I'm looking to emulate the drupal.org/project/recruit which I've had to depreciate due to the author pulling the plug. I need something which can create an "Apply Now" on a job page node and so I can link into users dashboards via Profile2/Homebox etc. I'm using D7.
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Paul BAug 17 '12 at 21:04

So... what exactly do you want the link to do?
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bethAug 17 '12 at 21:12

Further to the above, today I found the Rules component, Rules Link module: drupal.org/project/rules_link Considering the possibly workflow of user apply via a "Sign Up" button (link) on node (i.e job page), I have an inkling that this maybe be the route required (ie "Apply" -> post application confirm to employer's DashBoard (ie Views Block on DB) -> send confirmation to Candidates DB (Views Block). I'm going to have a play with the Rules Link module, but would appreciate some opinion comments to help clarify my efforts. Johan has a nice tutorial: (nodeone.se/sv/node/786).
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Paul BAug 20 '12 at 15:46

Consider this as a comment but I can't write this in a tiny comment box.

Even though you explain what you want to display,you didn't say what should be the rest.
So my answer here is based on your job site example's "Apply Now" functionality.

One approach you have is to, use a new node type as the application.
So employers can create a "job" node and workers can create "application" node type.
You can bind these 2 nodes with a Node References (from References or Entity Reference module for Drupal 7).

If the job node is at node/12345 , a worker can apply for the job by clicking on a button.
That button should send the user to node form to create a "application" node with some sort of a link to the original "job" node.
That's what Node Reference URL Widget can do.
it can populate the "job" node reference automatically from the given node ID.

Both are nodes but in 2 different types.
Now you can use Views to list applications of the job and for worker dashboard, a list of jobs they have applied.

If you want to have "hire" button or something, you can make use of Flag + Rules module to populate a node reference field in the parent job node to the application. (Trigger Rules on even user flags an application node).

Thank you for your help, very much appreciated, I'll look to your advice on my implementation. Furthermore, I shall post up some comments on what I did and how as soon as I have it working the way I want.
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Paul BSep 13 '12 at 21:14